Flexible suspension for wall and ceiling finishes



g- 20, 0- R. PHILLIPS 2,212,126

FLEXIBLE SUSPENSION FOR WALL AND CEILING FINISHES Original Filed June 14, 1932 g 511691541196; 1

TEE-15.1- TILE-E- ATTORNEY.

Aug. 20, 1940. R. PHILLIPS 2,212,126

FLEXIBLE SUSPENSION FOR WALL AND CEILING FINISHES Original Filed June 14. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 25125.5- v EJ-'E|.E.'

INVENTOR. I

ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 20, 1940 STAES PTENT OFFICE FLEXIBLE SUSPENSION FOR WALL AND CEILING FINISHES Roy Phillips, Dallas, Tex;

Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in building wall and ceiling construc tion and it has particular reference to such a construction embodying certain elements not 5 heretofore employed in the construction of walls and the like and which cooperate to lend strength and durability to the structure.

The principal object of the invention is to provide, in a construction of the character specified, certain pro-visions by which to enable the fabrication to adjust itself to various changes in temperature and weather conditions to allow for the expansion and contraction which usually takes place in plaster and other wall coating, which loosens and frequently drops from its points of suspension.

This application is a continuation of that filed by the applicant June 14, 1932, Serial No. 617,075 and which was renewed September 22, 1934, and again allowed October 10, 1934.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wall structure, the finish of which is more or less free of its structural support on exterior as well as interior walls, thus providing a most effective means to avoid cracking of the finish by reason of expansion and contraction. The invention is further efiective in dissipation of vibration to which the walls are usually subjected and .for this reason, the acoustical properties thereof are great.

Yet another object of the invention is to so construct a wall as to avoid subjecting the joists, studs or any other parts of the structural supports to lateral stresses or torque which is likely to cause the finish to sag. Moreover, the structural assembly of the invention is such that a plaster or other coating may be applied thereto which is uniform in thickness throughout, that is to say, no part of the supporting fabrication will be suificiently close to the surface as to weaken the coating or discolor the same by reason of rust or corrosion.

Broadly, the invention comprehends the provision of an improved wall and ceiling construction which may be erected with minimum effort and expense and one which will withstand much abuse from the standpoint of vibration, collision and the like and is greatly eifective in keeping out street and other noises. Moreover, the use of chemically treated paper in the construction of the walls and ceilings according to the present invention is instrumental in keeping out vermin, insects and the like.

- With the foregoing objects as paramount, the invention has particular reference to its salient features of construction and arrangement of parts to become manifest as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary detail view of a wall, showing the first step of applying the lathing to the wall studs.

Figure 2 is a similar View, showing the next step of applying a sheet of treated paper to the lathing.

Figure 3 shows the further step of assembling the pencil rods preparatory to the application of the metal lath.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view, showing the application of the metal lath.

Figure 5 shows the step of securing the elements relatively and to the wall studs.

Figure 6 is a similar View showing a modification in the manner of securing the metal lathing in position.

Figure '7 is a further modification showing the step of applying a sheet of wire mesh fabric between the wall studs and paper and eliminating the lathing shown in Figures 5 and 6.

Figure 8 is a detail view showing the manner in which the horizontally disposed rods are loosely suspended from the wall studs.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary detail View showing the manner in which the rods are insulated from the stationary supporting structure.

Figure 10 is a detail View of one of the furring nails employed in the wall construction and forming part of the invention.

Figure 11 is the same furring nail shown in Figure 10, illustrating the manner of covering the same.

Figure 12 is a further modified form of furring nails.

Figure 13 shows the furring nail covering lapped in the manner shown in Figure 11.

Figure 14 is a transverse section on lines i l-l4 on Figure 5, and

Figure 15 is a modified form of tie employed for suspending the reinforcing rods used in connection with the invention.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawings, 1 designates the wall studs to which the lath 2 is nailed as shown in Figure 1. To provide recesses for the pencil rods to be hereinafter described, another lath 3 is nailed behind the laths 2 at spaced intervals, and sections of the laths 2 are cut away midway between the studs as shown in Figure 1.

Nails 4 to which the flexible and curved wires 5 are attached, which may be insulated if de- 55 sired, are next driven into the studs I. Tar paper 6 or other suitable covering material is next shower tacked over the laths 2 and the wires 5. are pulled through holes punched in the paper 5 as shown in Figure 2.

Vertical pencil rods 1 are next placed against the paper 6 directly over the vertically aligned recesses in the laths 2. The rods 7 are then forced into place, carrying the paper 6 into the recesses. place over the vertical rods 1 by means of the wires 5. It will be noted that the normal position of the rods 7 is in the plane of the laths 2, which is also the normal position of the horizontal rods 8. Consequently there is a slight bend in the rods, the rods 1 being bent inwardly and the rods 8 outwardly near their point of crossing as may be seen in Figure 14. The rods are wired together by the wires 9, and the surface is then ready for the metal lath l0. This lath is nailed to the studs by means of the furring nails H shown in Figures 10, 11 and 13.

Particular attention is called to the method of covering the nails II. First, a piece of tape I2 is arranged on the nail to insulate the same. The nail is next forced through a piece of corrugated board I3 or other compressible material, and then through a similarly shaped piece of screen wire M. The nails H are driven in place in the studs 2 to a depth indicated by the dotted line d-a in Figure 11 and the wire and corrugated board covering is then bent over the head of the nail H as shown in Figure 11. The depth to which the nails l I is driven is such that a relatively level screen surface is presented for application of the plaster. It can readily be seen that the nails H are so covered that relative movement of the plaster either way from, or toward the studs can take place, since the heads of the nails H are covered both above and below with a yieldable material. The tape l2 serves to prevent sound Waves from the screen It] and pencil rods 1 and 8 fromentering the studs I, since a metal to metal contact is prevented by the tape l2. 1

For outside stucco work where the relative movement of the stucco is mainly toward the building, a special nail l5 shown in Figure 12 may be used. It will be noted that this nail is provided with a compressible material It above the head, and a screen H is used to hold the material It in place.

It will be understood that the nail is first forced through the screen l'l, driven in place, the compressible material It placed over the head, and finally the screen ll bent over the material I6 as shown. These nails are sound insulated by the tape it. In exterior wall construction such as stucco and the like, the nail structure shown in Figure 9 is preferred for holding the pencil rods in position. The nail I9 is driven into the supporting structure and a wire tie 20 is placed around its head and loosely suspends the pencil rod 2! outside the paper 22, through which the tie wire 2!! is passed. In order to allow the wall finish to move relative to the supporting structure and to suitably insulate the same therefrom, a piece of corrugated cardboard 23 or similarly compressible material is interposed between the paper 22 and the supporting structure 24, immediately beneath the rod 2|. Thus it will be seen that variations in temperature. and weather conditions, causing contraction and expansion of the wall finish will have no effect in fracturing or otherwise injuringthe finish, since the latter is Horizontal rods 8 are next wired in permitted to move relative to its supporting structure.

Referring now particularly to Figures 5 and 6, showing the different methods of securing the paper and overlying wire mesh or screen together, it will be noted that one form is to pass the end of a wire 25 about one of the laths 2 and weave the same through the paper and mesh from top to bottom. The wire 25 is then tensioned by placing therein a series of twists 26, shown in Figure 5. Another method is to tie the paper and mesh together about the laths 2 at various points throughout the assembly by means of short wire ties 21, as shown in Figure 6.

Thus the elements are securely bound together in order that when the plastic coat is applied and becomes mechanically set, a rigid finish is obtained having the necessary flexibility relative to its supporting structure. Figure 7 shows a modified form which varies from the described structure only to the extent that large mesh or chicken wire 20, is substituted for the conventional wood lathing 2.

In Figure 15 is illustrated a modified form of tie whose construction is such that it may be substituted for the wire tie 5, shown in Figure 8 and used for loosely suspending the pencil rods 8 and 9. This tie is shaped from a single piece of wire to define a loop and has its ends twisted together and spaced apart to receive the rods. To lend to the flexibility thereof, loops 28 are provided, the central one of which is adapted to receive a nail by which it is secured to the supporting structure. The loops 28 serve to allow for slight movements, of the rods relative to the support structure, thus carrying out the scheme of wall flexibility, which is the prime object of the invention.

Manifestly, the construction shown and described is capable of considerable modification and such modification as is considered within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a wall and ceiling construction having joists and studs, a supporting fabrication including lathing arranged on said studs to receive intercrossing reinforcing rods whereby the said rods will be disposed in the same plane with the said lathing, means for flexibly supporting said rods from said studs, a sheet of flexible material arranged between said rods and said lathing, a

.finish supporting fabric surmounting said rods and said flexible material, means for securing said fabric to permit of its movements with said rods relative to said studs when the finish is applied, said means comprising a nail having a covering of compressible material.

2. In a wall and ceiling construction, intercrossed reinforcing elements, flexible means for supporting said elements, a sheet of flexible material arranged between said elements and the wall fabrication, a plaster sustaining fabric surmounting said elements and said flexible material, means for securing said fabric to permit of its movement with said rods relative to said wall fabrication when the plaster finish is applied, and means to resist the travel of sound waves from said elements and fabric to said wall fabrication.

3. In a wall and ceiling construction of the character described in claim 1, means for securtwisted to provide free ends to embrace said rods and defining a series of spaced convolutions to cause the same to yield to stresses imposed thereupon.

4. In a wall and ceiling construction, a lath assembly secured to the supporting fabrication of the said wall and a multiplicity of intercrossing rods mounted upon said lath assembly for movement relative thereto, plaster sustaining means'afiixed to said rods, a nail having a head covering of compressible material capable of yielding to the expansion and contraction of said assembly and means capable of yielding tothe expansion and contraction of said assembly and interposing said rods and said wall supporting coating of plaster thereon to move relative to said Wall fabrication, said means comprising a nail whose head has an under and overlying layer of compressible material.

ROY PHILLIPS. 

